Mr. Chris Warkentin (Grande Prairie-Mackenzie, CPC)
Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of questions for the Minister of Agriculture.
First, I wonder if the minister could confirm to the House that the Ethics Commissioner has cleared his chief of staff to serve in her new capacity. I also wonder if he could confirm to the House if his new chief of staff has gotten the RCMP security clearances necessary to do her job, yes or no.
Hon. Lawrence MacAuley (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)
Mr. Speaker, my chief of staff is extremely qualified for the job and is dedicated to serve in the best interests of the entire agricultural sector and all Canadians.
She is following the guidelines laid out by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and will fully comply with any advice provided by the non-partisan commissioner.
Mr. Chris Warkentin (Grande Prairie-Mackenzie, CPC)
Mr. Speaker, I will take that as a no.
The second very straightforward question I will ask the Minister of Agriculture is if the minister is aware of any past criminal charges involving his chief of staff that may lead Canadians to believe that she is not suitable for the job that she is now tasked to do.
Hon. Lawrence MacAuley (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that she has a strong agricultural background and is a pillar in her community and brings a deep commitment to agriculture. As all members know, all appropriate information will be publicly available on the Ethics Commissioner’s website.